Method and apparatus for applying liquids to fibers



` DCC l 1953 R. D. ROBINSON ETAL 2,660,763

METHOD AND' APPARATUS FOR APPLYING I .IQUIDS TO FIBERS Filed Oct. 20.1949 lll 9 Fatented Dec, l, 1953 attrs @HCE METHOD AND APPARATUS FORAPLPLYING LIQUIDE T0 FIBERS Robert D. Robinson, Uxbridge, Mass.,

and

chusetts Application ctober 20, 1949, Serial No. 122,398

(Ci. iii- 66) '7 Claims.

This invention relates to the application of liquids to bers of a widevariety of kinds, and particularly to fibrous ropes, slivers and thelike.

It is a common textile practice to add a low viscosity oil to fibers inweb or sliver form as an aid to subsequent textile operations. Alsotextile practice often calls for straining such webs or slivers withfugitive or easily removable dyes for purposes of identification. Theprior art method and apparatus for so doing is unsatisfactory since theliquid is not satisfactorily contained and controlled and is appliedunevenly and at such spaced intervals that, in the case of fugi tivedyes, concentrations must be used which are diicult to wash out. Thus,rfor example, one present practice is to apply such oils or dyes bymeans of transfer from a paddle-wheel device. The points of transfer ofliquid are where the paddle-wheel touches the textile web or sliver.When using dyes or stains it is necessary, when using paddle-wheels, touse concentrated solutions for this purpose, resulting` in wetted fibersfrom which the identifying dye cannot be easily removed. l

It is an object of this invention to apply liquids to iiber surfaceswithout substantially wetting the ber interior.

Another object of this invention is to apply liquids uniformly to asurface of a length or sliver of moving bers,

Another object of this invention is to apply liquids to the surface ofbers without splattering the applying device or nearby workmen.

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious or in partpointed out hereinafter.

rihe invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements. arrangements of parts, and in the severalsteps and relation and order of each of said steps to one or more of theothers thereof, all as will be pointed out in the following description,and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in thefollowing claims.

The invention will best be understood if the following description isread in connection with the drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a view of an embodiment of the invention largely in verticalcross section, taken on line --l of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a View of the front or inlet end of the device, taken online 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view partly in horizontal cross section, taken online 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view looking in the directionof the arrows iwi as indicated in Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 ofFigure 1.

As shown in the drawings, a continuous length or sliver of fibers F isadvanced continuously by means not shown into and through the interiorof chamber it prior to which it is flattened and widened by being passedover and around the curved surface of contact member Il which is mountedfor oscillation between arms i Ia and I lb, the ends of which arepivotally mounted by pivots p to the ears i Ic and I ld ofv U-shapedbracket Il@ which projects from the upper surface of mem ber Il.

Chamber lc is illustrated herein as a rectangular chamber including, abase portion i @a including laterally extending portions b1 and b2 whichare shown provided with screw holes s to facilitate attachment of theassembly to a machine or other support surface front wall 10b in whichslot l2 is provided; the rear wall l0 which includes a rearwardlyprojecting portion through v which extends the outlet passage llileading from the chamber lll; and theside walls ltd andA me respectivelywhich 'are inclined rearwardly toward "f said discharge passage andwhich serve to turn inwardly the edges of the thin web-like sliver whichis passed through the chamber and the width of which correspondssubstantially with the length of entrance slot i2. Extending into thechamber i0 is a liquid conduit i3 adapted for conveying lubricating oil,fugitive dye, emulsions andthe like, said conduit preferably having aspray head lilau positioned to direct a spray of liquid on the web-likesliver as it passes through chamber It. Means of known kind may beprovided for controlling the flow of liquid in conduit lil so that theflow is cut olf except when sliver F is in motion.

The chamber outlet passage comprises a rst portion which is ofsubstantially less width than the interior of chamber i6 and as shownherein 'isl defined by the'ring insert i5, the front or entrance 'edgeita of the ring being curved inwardly to receive and contact the i'lberweb with a minimum of friction. v

Behind annular ring l5 the discharge passage is constricted laterallyforming a space which is of greater dimension at right angles to slot I2and the width of the web F in passing through the chamber it than in adirection parallel with the web or sliver F. Within this space theaction of turning in the edges of E', begun by the side walls it and iteof the chamber it, and furthered by passage of the web through the firstportion, l5, of the discharge outlet, is developed into a folding actionfolding the two halves of the web upwardly from its longitudinal medianline into substantially parallel planes. As shown herein the foldingaction is accomplished by a ring insert, I6, positioned just behind andin abutting relation to ring I5, and dening a space the width of whichis less tthan its height and less than the width of the space defined byring I5 but the height of which is substantially the same or onlyslightly less than the diameter of ring l5. The forward edge |61- ofring I6 is desirably curved inwardly.

In order that rings similar to ring I6 but with different sizedapertures may be readily substituted within the said passage therearward extention of wall .10 of the chamber is desirably bored toreceive a set screw I8 by which ring I6, or other similar rings withdifferent sizes of apertures may be secured in place within thedischarge passage.

The portion of the discharge passage to the rear of ring Iii is of thevcross section desired for the wetted sliver and is shown herein assubstantially circular. To Yfacilitate the production of slivers ofdifferent diameter this portion of the passage, as shown herein isden'ed by a removable annular ring 2B and the rearwardly extendingportion of chamber wall I0C is bored to receive a set screw 22 by meansof which ring 2B, or a. substitute ring, may be held in place inabutting relation to ring I6.

For aiding in the removal of any excess liquid from the surface of thesliver as it leaves the discharge passage, and for coh'st'ricting 'the'fibers so that they will balloon out upon discharge "from the passage,a cross pin 24 is provided extending across the interior of the oricedeiined by ring zfand as shown Yin the drawing is positioned at the topof the or'iiice. Pin 2li serves the purpose of a flange on the interiorof ring 20 and is preferred because it 'is easier and less expensive tomanufacture;

Upon leaving the discharge passage, a large portion of the fiberscomprising the sliver are wetted lightly and evenly with the liquidintroduced into chamber Iii, and because the liquid is introducedpreferably as a inist, and because of the folding and constriction ofthe sliver after leaving the interior of chamber lil, it is markedlyfree from excess liquid and the applied liquid is retained within thesliver without substantial loss. It will be understood that the volumeof the liquid sprayed onto the sliver in 'chamber IIJ should be adjustedto the size and nature of the fibrous sliver, and that the moving sliverwill tend to taire up any liquid accumulating within the chamber andalso serve to prevent escape of liquid through the entrance slot or thedischarge orifice by lling said slot and said oriiicei The method andthe applicator apparatus disclosed herein may be applied as an aid inthe manufacture of various textile products and at various stages ofmanufacture. As one example, it may be usefully applied in themanufacture of woolen and worsted. fabrics to wet the web or slivercoming from a textile machine, such for example as a pin drafter, and inadvance of the ceiling of the sliver.

The applicator described herein has the advantage of applying liquid tothe fibers of a sliver so that a large proportion of the bers arelightly and evenly wetted, thereby facilitating the working of thefibers in the case of a lubricant, and making it possible, iii the caseof the applica'- tion of a fugitive dye to the bers, to use a lowconcentration of the dye for identification and to thereafter readilyremove the dye, at the same time conserving the liquid and eliminatingthe splashing characteristic of many of the prior art processes, andproducing slivers of desired size and cross sectional shape.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention amethod and apparatus in which the various objects hereinabove set forthtogether with many thoroughly practical advantages are successfullyachieved. As varin ous possible embodiments might be made of themechanical eatures of the above invention and as the art hereindescribed might be varied in various parts, all without departing fromthe scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all 'matterhereinbefoi'e set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

l. Apparatus for applying liquids to fibrous Webs and the likecomprising a chamber having an inlet slot and an `extendei'i. outletpassage, means extending' into the chamber for discharging a spray oiliquid on a web oi fibers moving through said chamber, and a memberremovably mounted in said outlet passage and de'liriing an outlet porthaving its greater dimension in a plane substantially right angles tothe plane of said entrance slot.

2. The method of handling bers while applying liquid to them whichcomprises initially airanging the lib-ers in 'a thin web disposed in a'ist plane, folding the length of fibers into a substantiallyrectangular web disposed in. a se.- Ohd plane, and spraying liquid ontothe surface of said web While it is being folded into said substantiallyrectangular web, changing the cross section 'of 'the web fromrectangular to circular, and simultaneously scraping the .resultingsliver and constricting it so that the iibers comprising the sliver willballoon out when released from the Vconstricting force.

Y3. The method of applying liquid to fibers which comprises' passing alength of iibers into a closure as a thin web disposed in a iirst plane,folding the length of bers within the closure into a web ofsubstantially rectangular cross sec tion disposed in a second planesubstantially at right angles to said rst plane, and spraying liquidlonto the surface of said web while it is being folded, changing thecross section of the web from rectangular to circular and discharging itfrom said closure.

4. An apparatus for applying liquids to fibers comprising a housingdefining a closure having an entrance slot and a discharge passageterminating in a substantially circular discharge orifice, means forspraying liquid on the surface of the web of fibers `passing throughsaid closure, and means intermediate said slot and said orifice forfolding said web and converting it from a thin web to a sliver ofsubstantially rectangular cross section, said means comprising a slothaving its greatest dimension substantially at right angles to the planeof said entrance slot.

5. Apparatus for applying liquids to bers comprising a closed chamberhaving an entrance slot in one wall for the admission of a thin web offibers and having a discharge passage in another wall for the dischargeof bers from said chamber in a sliver of substantially circular crosssection, said discharge passage comprising a second slot disposed atright angles to said entrance slot and a portion of circular crosssection, positoned to receive the sliver after it has passed throughsaid second slot, said chamber being partly defined by a Wall portiontapering in the direction of said discharge passage, and means forintroducing a spray of liquid into said chamber between said slots.

6. An apparatus for applying liquids to bers comprising a closed chamberhaving an entrance port and an outlet portion, means for passing alength of fibers into and out of said chamber through said port andpassages respectively, means for introducing a spray of liquid into saidchamber, said outlet passage comprising a constricted portion forming aslot therein at right angles to the path of said length of bers throughsaid chamber, and means for initiating turning up the edges of saidlength of fibers to initiate folding action of the length of fiberswhich is completed by passage of the length through said slot.

7. An apparatus for applying liquids to fibers comprising a closedchamber having an entrance port and an outlet passage, means for passinga length of fibers into and out of said chamber through said port andpassage respectively, means for introducing a spray of liquid into saidchamber, said outlet passage comprising a constrcted portion forming aslot extending at right angles to the path of said length of bersthrough said chamber, means for initiating turning up the edges of saidlength of fibers to initiate folding action of the length of fiberswhich is completed by passage of the length through said slot, and across member positioned in said outlet passage for removing excessliquid from the overlapped discontinuous lateral edges of said length offibers.

ROBERT D. ROBINSON.

RAYNALDO P. JACQUES.

References Cited n the lle 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,542,180 Selden et al June 16, 1925 1,597,115 Selden et al.Aug. 24, 1926 1,956,450 McGinnis Apr. 24, 1934 2,115,218 Siever Apr. 26,1938 2,187,830 Jones Jan. 23, 1940 2,203,423 Walsh et al. June 4, 1940FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,429 Great Britain of 1863 682,512Germany Oct. 16, 1939

